Friction-clutch.



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FBIGTIUN CLUTCH.

- (Application led Feb. 25, 1902.) (Mu Model.)

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UNITED STATES v PATENT EEICE.

RANSOME. OLDS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FRlCTlON-CLUTCH.

SPECIFIGATION forming' part 0f Lelter Patent NO. 704,911, dated July 15, 19H2.

Application led February 25, 1902. Serial No. 95,612. V(No modelJ To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RANSOM E. OLDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit,in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain lnew and useful Improvementsin Friction-Clutches, of which the following is aspecication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to friction-clutches, and is more especially designed for use in connection with transmission-gearing for motor-vehicles, dto.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described. f

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the clutchas applied to a transmission-gearing, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

A is a drive-shaft, and B is a head loose thereon. This head constitutes a portion of the driven mechanism, and in connection with the parts hereinafter to be described comprises a friction-clutch. As shown, the head B is provided with a iiange C, with an internal gear-wheel formed thereon, and within this flange is secured to the shaft A a gear- Wheel D upon thehub E, on which the head B is sleeved. Between the gear-wheel D and the internal gear-Wheel C and in 4mesh with each is a pinion F, said piuion'being journaled upon a stub-shaft G', which is carried by a head H', also sleeved upon the shaft A and connected to the sprocket-Wheel I.

' any'suitable manner.

The arrangement of parts as abovepdescribed is not absolutely essential tothe pres-v ent invention, which relates chiey to the construction of friction-clutch. The latter is, however, primarily vdesigned for use in connection with said mechanism and 4coperates therewith, as will be hereinafterset forth'.

, lThe hub E is preferably formed with a shoulder a, against which one end of the head B bears. The headrB is also preferably provided with a hub G, which extends outwardly and forms a longer bearing upon the hub E.

Adjacent to the end ofthis hub G is a collar H, which is fixedly secured tothe hub E iny The collar H is screwthreaded. externally and is adapted to engage with a head I, havinga correspondingly .dially from the head I.

internal screw-threaded hub h. This construction permits of adjusting the head I longitudinally upon the collar H, and it may then be locked from rotation by any suitable means, such asa set-screw J.

The head I is provided with a seriesof radially-extending arms K, which are formed of fiat spring metal arranged in substantially the plane of rotation of the'head. The width of these'arms issufcient to make them comparatively rigid in resisting strains in the direction of rotation, while at the same time they are thin enough to permit of freely iiexing transversely to the plane of rotation. At the outer ends of the arms K are secured friction-blocks LT These are adapted to bear against an annular friction-face c, formed upon the side of the head B, adjacent to the periphery thereof.

M represents dogs pivotally secured to the head I and adapted to bear, respectively, against the arms K. As shown, these dogs are in the form of bellcrank levers, which are pivoted by pins d to ears c, projecting ra- One arm fof each bell-crank extends into proximity to the respective arm K between the block L and the point of attachment to the head I. The other arm g of the bell-crank lever extends outwardly substantially parallel to the shaft A,

its under face preferably being curved, as

shown in Fig. l.

`N is a head sleeved upon the shaft A beside the head of the hub E. This head is adapted to be moved longitudinally upon the shaft by any suitable connection (not shown) consisting of a bell-crank lever O, fulcrumed upon a stationary frame P, in which the shaft Anis journaled. This bell-crank lever is provided with a fork O', which embraces the IOO Ward and cause the arm fto press against the spring-arms K. This will cause said arms K to yieldingly press the blocks L against the annular face c of the head B. If the inward movement of the head N is sufcient, the arm g will pass beyond the ridge k on said head and into engagement with the oppositely-inclined portionsj or into the position shown in Fig. l.

With the arrangement of parts as described the operation will be as follows: Rotary motion being imparted to the shaft A, it will be communicated to the gear-wheel D and hub E, which are ixedly secured to said shaft. From the hub E the collar I-I, which is fixed thereon, will be driven, and the latter will drive the head I, the radial arms K, and friction-blocks L. In the normal position of parts these blocks L are out of frictional contact with the annular friction-face c of the head B, so that the latter is free to remain stationary or to revolve independently of the shaft and the parts secured thereto. In the construction shown the head B is intended to operate as a portion of a differential gearing, and to this end is provided with a peripheral brake-strap R, which at certain times will hold said head from rotation. This will cause the gear-wheelD to impart a cycloidal movement tothe pinions F, which travel around in mesh with the internal gear on the flange C and through the stub-shafts G will impart rotary motion to the head H and sprocket I. The sprocket I will thus be driven in the same direction but at a slower speed than the shaft A. When it is desired to impart to the sprocket I' the full angular speed of the shaft A, the peripheral brake R is released and the bellcrank lever O operated to cause the head N to be moved inward. This, as before described, will cause the dogs M to press upon the spring-arms K and press the frictionblocks L against the annular face c of the head B. The result will be that said head will be gradually started to rotate and will eventually be driven at the same speed as the shaft A. As soon as this occurs the pinions F will be lockedl from their cycloidal movement, which will cause the stub-shafts G to drive the head H and sprocket I at the same speed as the shaft A.

-It is to be noticed that the spring-arms K gradually apply the pressure against the friction-blocks L, and at no time can this pressure exceed the tension of the spring. This will prevent danger of stripping the gearing or the breakage of parts, which might occur if the friction were suddenly applied, so as to give a quick jerk from a slow to afaster speed. It is also to be noticed that when the head N is moved inward sufficiently to change the engagement of the arm g from the incline 'i to the inclinej the spring-arms K will no longer tend to force the head N outward. Thus the friction-clutch will be locked in its engage-l ment until the lever O is moved in the reverse direction and the head N is positively driven outward.

It will be noticed that the curved face on the inner side of the arm g of the bell-crank levers acts as a holding means or lock for the cam-head N. Where this clutch is used on moving vehicles, such as automobiles, this forms a convenient lock for the cam-head to prevent its accidental longitudinal movement, whereby the clutch might become disengaged in the movement of the vehicle. I do not herein claim the construction of the cycloidal gear connection or its combination with such a friction clutch as is herein claimed, as I have made such gear the subject-matter of another pending application, Serial No. 79,085.

What I claim as my invention isl. In a transmission-gearing, the combination with a drive-shaft, of a head loose upon said shaft, a head secured to rotate with said shaft upon one side of said loose head, a spring-arm secured to the latter head having a friction-block at its outer end in close proximity to the face of said loose head and means for pressing against said spring-arm to yieldingly press said block in frictional contact with said loose head.

2. In a transmission-gearing, the combination with a drive-shaft, of a head loose upon said shaft, a head ixed upon said shaft beside said loose head, a plurality of radial arms secured to said fixed head iiexible laterally but rigid in the plane of rotation, friction-blocks at the outer ends of said. arms in close proximity to said loose head, dogs secured to said xed head for bearing against said spring-arms and having operating-arms projecting laterally, and a cam-head longitudinally movable upon said shaft adapted to spread said operating-arms and cause said dogs to press against said flexible radial arms thereby pressing said blocks into frictional contact with said head.

3. In a transmission-gearing, the combination of the drive-shaft, a head loose on the shaft, a head fixed on the shaft beside the loose head, spring-arms secured to the latter head and adapted to bear against the loose head, dogs on the ixed head for flexing the springs and means for actuating said dogs.

et. In a transmission-gearing, the combination of the drive-shaft, a head loose on the shaft, a head fixed on the shaft beside the loose head, spring-arms secured to the latter, adapted to be pressed against the loose head by iexing the spring-arms, means for flexing the spring-arms,- and for automatically locking said flexing means against accidental movement.

5. In a transmission-gearing, the combination of the drive-shaft, a head loose on the shaft, a head fixed on the shaft beside the loose head, spring-arms secured to the latter adapted to be pressed against the loose head IOO IIO

In testimony whereof Ieix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RANSOM E.v OLDS.

Witnesses:

HARRY E. HOOKER, WM. H. HUMPHREY. 

